Crunchy Peanut Butter by Planters - 1kg Jar | All-Natural Spread for Sandwiches, Baking & Healthy Snacks

Planter's PB has been a "must" in the pantry for decades. It used to be available from most grocers, and it was not overpriced. No other brand came close as far as "real" peanut flavor. Some brands tasted like goopy sugar, some separated in layers of oil, mashed peanuts and another odd-looking layer - not a winner. And some were just 'bleah' - including some 'big name brands.' One advertised that it was 'Spreadable' - and so it was. But the taste was not of peanuts.Then one day, what had been a staple item, widely available and reasonably priced just vanished. Whether major chain store or small local shop, nobody could get it. It was still for sale somewhere - we'd see the ads. But the PB was 'unobtanium.' And then around 2019, it re-surfaced in Amazon's grocery listings, crunchy and smooth, 1 kg or 500 mg (1/2 kg). This was a pleasant surprise, and I ordered some right away. Finding a reliable source on Amazon was just great. Planter's is my favorite among the various brands available. I've had no issues with short expiry dates or damaged containers. The only locally-available alternative was Kraft brand PB. It's OK in the 'crunchy' style, not so much in "Smooth." I purchased one 2 kg (5 pound) jar of Smooth, but it began to taste stale long before being used up.I have noticed that Planters Crunchy in the 1 kg jar is almost always available. The cost is a little bit higher than some other brands, but well worth it - no other brand I've tried has the flavor, texture or freshness. Getting Planter's in "Smooth" is a bit of a head-scratcher. It is often available in 1 pound/500 gm jars ('travel size') but at a price that's much higher than a 1 kg jar of Crunchy. Smooth was available for a short period in 1 kg jars with the price similar to 'Crunchy,' but that size vanished. Not a big deal for me, but rather surprising as it's also a high-quality PB.There are many ways of enjoying peanut butter, and I've discovered some new ones since writing my original review. I discovered new recipes and, surprisingly, reliable supplies of both Udon noodles (the big fat ones often found as "Shanghai Noodles" on restaurant menus. These are the complete opposite of Ramen noodles in size, but several local stores carry Udon noodles as a 'refrigerated' item, at an extremely low cost for a large serving. And preparation is 3-1/2 minutes in water that's been brought to a boil - that simple. There are also many other Udon noodle recipes for use in soups, or as part of a stir-fry in a Wok. No matter - they're always excellent. Amazon pricing on many brands of Udon noodles is rather high. But I've found them to be widely available and - to my surprise - very easy to make. The stereotypical 'little old lady' next door showed me the method, and I couldn't believe they were so simple to make, or "pull". Granted, my 4'11" neighbor lady, now in her 11th decade, can probably bench-press a Mack truck, one handed. But pulling Udon noodles doesn't require muscle, and there are many 'how to' videos and recipes that show how its done. Making fat noodles is much simpler than making very thin ones, as it happens. But if you happen to have Ramen noodle packets on hand, try using those. The combination is another welcome surprise. Throw away the 'flavor packets' - make your own sauce.When, shortly afterwards, I had my first opportunity to taste what's known as "Chili-Crisp" - that added to Udon noodles is heavenly. But adding in a big dollop of crunch PB takes the flavor palate to a whole new level. It is wonderful to find something brand new that is so tasty, and so easy to make. The dish has become so popular with the assorted nieces and nephews that my peanut butter use per month has almost doubled. And the beauty of the entire idea is that it can be made to be quite mild in terms of "chili heat" or it can be ramped up to the "Flip Your Lid" region on the Scoville Units scale. That much heat seems to overpower some of the other, more subtle flavors, so I dial it back somewhat. I suppose I should not be surprised when I found one of the previously mentioned nieces making school-lunch sandwiches, using Planter's Crunchy PB plus a good layer of Sambal Oelek fresh chili paste. That idea had not occurred to me, but it's pretty good, and not anything like the "peanut butter and jam" sandwiches I remember. Pretty tasty, though.I wanted to update this review to include some of the new uses for Planter's PB that I didn't know about when I wrote my original review, because they are easy, tasty and affordable ways to enjoy this PB. Planter's is still the best peanut butter I've found, and I still recommend it very highly. If some of the new recipe ideas are something you want to try, it's good to spread that knowledge around. So, treat yourself to a 1 kg jar of Planter's Crunchy. Many people have said they find it to be an excellent brand, which just reinforces my own opinion. Give it a try, and maybe try mixing up a dish of peanut butter and chili paste sauce. It actually also goes very well on many types of pasta other than Udon noodles. A big "Thank You" to Amazon for making this a readily available grocery item. It really is a step up. As for creating recipes, go ahead: You may find you have created a new taste thrill! Enjoy.